Nope. It was only a couple of years ago that I even found out what a bidet was. Before that I'd never heard of them.
Be not afraid...
Which leads me to another question for those who don't have a bidet: what do use for *ehm* that particular hygiene? The shower tube?
OMNIA RESOLVITUR DIALECTICE
I just make sure not to miss anything while I'm taking a shower.
But this would imply you have to use the toilet only before taking a shower.
OMNIA RESOLVITUR DIALECTICE
Cmdr. of His Supremacy's Armed Forces
'80s TV Action Hero
We had one in the house I used to live in. We used it as a kind of bookcase.
If I want to wash my arse I'll have a shower. We have this stuff called 'toilet paper' that means you don't need to squirt water up your backside every time you take a dump.
Hmmm. Do continental types do very runny or sticky turds? Is it all the olive oil?
edited 18th May '12 12:17:05 PM by InverurieJones
'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'
NOT THE BEES
I...don't think I've ever even seen one. I mean I heard about them, but I haven't seen anyplace that actually installed one.
The way I see it, the poo's supposed to come out, not get all over your butt. Toilet paper is sufficient.
Is that cake frosting?
Not since I left Italy. It was weird at the beginning.
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Would you wipe your hands in paper instead of washing them?
Wipe as much as you want, with toilet paper you won't get completely clean. Not as if you used water and, you know, soap.
Showers work, but, well, they are more time-consuming and they waste more water. You cannot have a shower every time you go to the bathroom.
edited 18th May '12 1:39:01 PM by Carciofus
But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.
'80s TV Action Hero
I don't eat with my arse cheeks.
Toilet paper works quite well enough.
edited 18th May '12 1:58:34 PM by InverurieJones
'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'
Okay, all of you don't take it bad but... well, I think it's quite gross. I mean, if you don't wash your rear after "doing number two", you are basically turning your underwear in a Petri dish. Also, genitalia require more than the daily shower in order to be clean.
OMNIA RESOLVITUR DIALECTICE
'80s TV Action Hero
Maybe yours do. Why are you wiping your arse with your genitals, anyway?
'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'
Is that cake frosting?
On the other hand, I think that Northern Europeans tend to shower more often than us Italians, so perhaps it averages out. When I was in Italy, it was common to shower only once every two or three days, at least when it was not summer; and everybody I knew did the same, as far as I know.
Here, everybody showers every single day.
But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.
I don't wipe my rear with my genitalia, you genius. But it's a good practice to keep your private area clean, especially if you sweat a lot or, if you're a woman, during your period.
It depends. I shower every day.
edited 18th May '12 2:07:02 PM by Belfagor
OMNIA RESOLVITUR DIALECTICE
Is that cake frosting?
Eh. Perhaps my family had laxer standards, or whatever.
By the way, if you're from Nonantola we used to live relatively close, I'm originally from Bologna 
Nice. (Spoiler because we're going OT) When did you leave Italy?
edited 18th May '12 2:15:05 PM by Belfagor
OMNIA RESOLVITUR DIALECTICE
Is that cake frosting?
Let me think... in 2005. It's been a bit 
I don't think they do (except for certain female times of the month). In fact, I think washing them too often (or washing them with soap) might actually be bad for them. They have a symbiotic population of microorganisms, you don't want to disturb it.
Aaaand now I've probably grossed everybody out.
edited 18th May '12 4:45:49 PM by LoniJay
Be not afraid...
Eh, yeah, it gets gross down there at certain times of the month, but I've never had an infection so must be doing something right?
Never used a bidet and I find them a little intimidating. Some friends of my parents in England have one in the guest bathroom and for the longest time I thought it was some kind of urinal.
i. hear. a. sound.
Slay foes with bow and arrow
[BACHELOR FROG]
OUT OF TOILET PAPER
TIME FOR A SHOWER
[/BACHELOR FROG]
What's a bidet? 
Basically a butt washer thingy. At least, that's what my understanding of it is.
The only time I ever saw one was when me and my family went looking in fancy houses for sale. I was trying to figure out why they had 2 toilets. Quite frankly, if I don't feel fresh, I buy flushable wipes.
NOT THE BEES
It's a thing that squirts water at your butt. It's like when you flush the toilet halfway through your business to keep from clogging it and it splashes up on your butt, but on purpose.
The parts you wipe are far enough up the crack that it's basically closed off during normal operation. If anything, squirting water at it would just spread germs all over the area unless it's got a shitload of alcohol in it or something. In which case really cold stuff down there, AGH.
Fun fact, nobles used to wipe with a feathered goose neck.
edited 18th May '12 9:38:56 PM by Pykrete
Is that cake frosting?
It does not squirt anything, at least not the models I know of. It's basically just a sink put at the right height — you fill it with water, then you clean yourself.
edited 18th May '12 11:14:20 PM by Carciofus
But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.
... do you have a bidet? I know it's a rather awkward question, but in Italy it's kind of a given to have one, while it looks like it's not the same for other countries.
P.S.: I added this conversation under "It Just Awes Me!" because it awes me.
edited 17th May '12 3:33:45 AM by Belfagor
OMNIA RESOLVITUR DIALECTICE